Some perennials are at their best in warmer climates, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be used in colder areas for season-specific containers or grown with cool-crop annuals to add some unique offerings to a product mix. Oftentimes, the terms “tender perennials” or “temperennial” apply to crops that are perennial in tropical climates, usually Zone 7 to 8 or above, but grown as annuals in the south. Their biggest advantage is the flexibility they offer to growers to take advantage of early and late shoulder seasons.
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Anemone Harmony Series (Sakata Ornamentals)
Harmony anemone are ideal for Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Mother’s Day sales. For perennial plant sales, transplant Harmony anemone to a protected garden site to naturalize with repeat flowering the following spring. This series is also a superb cold crop for premium pots in early spring. Harmony anemone combine well with pansies, dianthus, bellis, and poppies, and are the perfect addition for spectacular color bowls. Pictured: Harmony Blue
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Coreopsis ‘Madras Magic’ (Terra Nova Nurseries)
This coreopsis has two-toned burgundy flowers with light-pink tips that have an extremely long bloom time. A few of its advantages include a clean, manicured habit, a fast growth rate and finish time, and a feathery, mildew-resistant foliage. Hardy in Zones 6 to 10.
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Cosmos atrosanguineus ‘Black Magic’ (Jelitto)
Most people will grow this plant as an annual, but if you live in Zones 9 to 12, it is hardy and blooming all year long. ‘Black Magic’ is a first-year flowering perennial that blossoms from June to September. Flower petals are velvety burgundy to nearly black. Plants are suitable for cut flowers or flowering potted plants. ‘Black Magic’ is propagated from a single clone. Seed is now seed is available from Jelitto.
The gold, ball-shaped blooms on this unusual plant tower above the plants and are reminiscent of small golf balls. ‘Golf Beauty’ performs well in high temperatures and blooms all summer. The blooms become denser as it flowers. Plants grow 12 to 14 inches tall. Craspedia is a native of New Zealand. It is a tender perennial in most of the U.S., and is hardy from Zones 6 to 9.
One of the longest-blooming perennials on the market, gauras feature long stems of flowers held well above the foliage from early summer through the first frosts of fall. This beautiful new selection features white flowers edged in paintbrush-like strokes of rose pink. Rounded bushes grow to 2 feet tall. Grow ‘Gauriella Bicolor’ in full sun for best blooming. Hardy in Zones 6 to 9.
From German breeder Klaus Menzel comes a vigorous, drought-tolerant grass with stunning purple and red arching blades that gradually fade to green. It sports a long season of interest with reddish flower heads July through October, with the color strengthening as it gets colder. It reaches 2 to 3 feet in height and width at maturity. This tidy-growing, smaller variety is ideal for containers, borders, and landscape plantings. Hardy in Zones 6 to 9.
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Penstemon hartwegii ‘Polaris Magenta’ (Florensis)
Polaris is bred by Florensis and developed as a well-branched, short-stemmed series for use as a first year, early flowering summer perennial. The short, stable flower stems bear large blooms that appear in mid-June. Hardy in Zone 8.
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Salvia ‘Magic Wand’ (Eason Horticultural Resources/Danziger)
Salvia 'Magic Wand' is a new hybrid cross with a wild salvia. It has long spikes of dark-blue flowers on a full, dense plant that blooms from spring through autumn. This plant looks great in the garden. It stands 3 to 4 inches tall and needs plenty of room to grow. It is cold hardy in Zones 8 to 10, and possibly a little colder.
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Salvia Mirage Series (Darwin Perennials)
This new series of Salvia greggii makes a great component plant in combos and blooms all season with bold, bright color. The series is available with nine varieties for 2017. Mirage has a self-branching, mounding habit that resists breaking. A standout in the landscape, it is heat tolerant and hardy in Zones 7 to 9.
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Salvia ‘Vibe Ignition Purple’ (Monrovia)
A prolific bloomer that's notably heat and drought tolerant, Ignition Purple is a small-leafed variety that sports lots of intensely vibrant purple flowers with dark buds. Add it to summer garden borders, wildlife or cutting gardens, or use it as a single specimen in pots and or mixed containers. Salvia ‘Vibe Ignition Purple’ is exclusive for 2017. It is hardy in Zones 7 to 11.
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Tropical Breeze Mandevilla Series (Oglesby Plant International)
This new line of mandevilla has a high level of performance for tropical color. The three selections in the series have excellent flowering characteristics, exhibiting early and abundant flowering with eight to 11 flowers per inflorescence. Tropical Breeze mandevilla are fast growing with dark, glossy-green leaves and has heavy branching. Colors in the series include Blushing Pink, Flaming Red, and Velvet Red. Hardy in Zones 9 to 11.
“Because of [temperennials/tender perennials] annual-like existence in temperate climates, growers should plan their propagation to maximize gardeners bliss by having plants ready to sell as early as their climate warrants,” says Mary Vaananen, Manager at Jelitto Perennial Seeds.
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Vaananen says she knows some growers who have been successful in generating excitement over temperennials, but she does not think temperennials’ perennial (or not) lifespan really figures into that excitement. Oftentimes, the term “temperennials” is more associated with marketing hype. And while temperennials exotic nature surely beckons to gardeners, it is important to remember that not all temperennials have that exotic bling.
Here are 11 new introductions hitting retail in 2017 that are hardy in Zone 6 and up. Those hardy in Zone 6 will tolerate some cold (-10°F to 0°F), depending on how they are used and where they are planted, while those in Zone 7 and up prefer it a bit warmer. Regardless, these varieties are strong performers that offer heat and drought tolerance, flower power, versatility, and more.